World champion Brady wins U.S. Open

Oct. 29, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Paul Brady returns the ball from the back wall from Charly Shanks during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Charly Shanks reaches to return the ball during the during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.Brady went on to win 21-15, 21-12.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady returns the ball from the back wall as he plays Charly Shanks, right, during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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The Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club main court fills with fans during the Men's Singles final of the Simple Green U.S. Open of Paul Brady smiles as he holds the first place cup for the Men's Singles Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic. STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady dives for the ball during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Charly Shanks returns the ball from the back wall with with Paul Brady, right, behind him during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Charly Shanks returns the ball with with Paul Brady, left, behind him during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady, right, smiles after beating Charly Shanks, left, 21-15, 21-12, for the Men's Singles title at the Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady keeps his eye of the ball during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady keeps his eye of the ball during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Charly Shanks returns the ball during the during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady returns the ball from Charly Shanks, right, during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady smiles as he holds the first place cup after winning the Men's Singles Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady returns the ball from Charly Shanks, right, during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

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Paul Brady, right, holds the winning cup along with a symbolic check for $10,000 for winning the Men's Singles division at the Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic against Charly Shanks, left, at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley. Presenting the check, center, is Tournament Director Naty Alvarado Sr.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Paul Brady returns the ball from the back wall from Charly Shanks during the Men's Singles final of the 2012 Simple Green U.S. Open of Handball/22nd Annual Naty Alvarado Handball Classic at the Los Caballeros Racquet & Fitness Club in Fountain Valley.STEVEN GEORGES, FOR THE REGISTER

Brady put together a convincing finish to end the championship match, stringing together a 9-0 run to win the second game. The 33-year-old special-needs teacher put away kill shot after kill shot, hitting very low shots that were nearly impossible to return.

"I took each point as I could," Brady said. "I concentrated on each point. I knew I had to go for it. I was under a little pressure there. I knew if I didn't hold off Charly, he would've gone for it."

Shanks did go for it, taking a 7-3 lead. But Brady countered with six straight points and did not trail from that point on.

"I wasn't killing it (making kill shots) as well as I was when I first started," Shanks said. "I had opportunities and I didn't take it. It wasn't so much what he was doing as it was that I stopped shooting."

Shanks put together a gigantic 14-3 run of his own toward the end of the first game, after he trailed by as much as 17-1, to cut that lead to 20-15. But Brady finished the resilient opponent by firing off a low two-wall shot into the right-hand corner.

"I tried not to panic," Brady said. "I was in control. I didn't mind getting the sting out of his tail. It got too close for comfort there."

Shanks talked about his massive comeback attempt, as he made Brady run from side to side and went for more kill shots, bowing out in an aggressive manner.

"I didn't think about the score," Shanks said. "Once I found a rhythm, I scored a lot of points. I wanted to get into a groove. I had three short (matches) coming into this one, so I came in fresher. It wasn't meant to be."

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